Fence-post.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. PEPPER, OF SMITHVILLE, MISSOURI.

FENCE-POST.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVTLLIAM A. PEPPER, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Smithville, in the county of Clay and State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to fence posts, and the primary object of myinvention is to provide a post that can be advantageously used fordetachably supporting a wire fence, without resorting to the use ofstaples or similar fastening means.

Another object of the invention isto provide a post that can be used inconnection with strands of various kinds of wire or woven wire, the postbeing especiallydesigned for strands of wire that are equally spaced toinclose a field or other piece of ground.

A further object of this invention is to furnish a post with a fastenerfor simultaneously securing a plurality of wires thereto, withoutinjuring the wires and in a manner that they will be firmly held toprevent them from becoming accidentally displaced.

I attain the above objects by a mechanical construction that is simple,durable, easy to manipulate and highly eflicient for the purposes forwhich it is intended.

The invention will be hereinafter specifically described and thenclaimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, where- 1n:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the post, Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the post showing thelocking member thereof in an open position in dotted lines, and Fig. iis a horizontal sectional view of the post.

A post in accordance with this invention comprises a flat plate 1 of asufficient length to have the lower end thereof embedded or anchored inthe ground. The plate 1 has the forward side thereof at one edge thereofprovided with a longitudinal rib 2 extending from one end of the plateto the opposite end thereof. This rib is preferably formed integral withthe plate and said plate and rib conform somewhat in shape to an anglebar.

The front side of the rib 2 is provided with a plurality of transversegrooves 3, these grooves being equally spaced and ex- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed May 22, 1911.

Patented Jan. 16, 1912. Serial No. 628,703.

tending from one edge of the rib to the opposite edge thereof. The ribdirectly beneath each groove is provided with an outwardl extendingtongue 4; of a less width than the rib, said tongue having the upperouter edge thereof provided with a rib 5. The top of each tongue isflush with the lower edge of each groove and the lip 6 of each tongue isof a depth corresponding to the diameter of the groove 3.

The rib 2 at a point directly above the ground line 6 is provided withan outwardly extending web 7 corresponding in width to the tongues4.Extending through this web is a pivot bolt 8 having a nut 9 retainingthe same in engagement with the web. Pivotally mounted upon the bolt 8are the lower longitudinal slotted arms 10 of a locking bar 11, said barhaving a plurality of longitudinal slots 12 formed therein,corresponding in number to the tongues 4:. The slots 12 are of a lengthcorresponding to the combined length of a tongue 4: and the lip 5thereof, and the width of the slots is sufficient to provide clearancefor the tongues, when the bar is swung into engagement therewith. It ispreferable to plant the post in the ground until the web' 7 is directlyabove the ground line, and with the post in this position, the lockingbar 11 is swung outwardly upon the ground. Strands of wire 13 can thenbe placed in the grooves 3 and then the locking bar is swung upwardlyinto engagement with the rib 2. With the bar 11 in parallelism with therib 2, the bar is pushed downwardly until the upper edge of each of theslots 12 engages behind the lips 5, said lips retaining the bar inengagement with the rib 2. The slots in the arms 10 allow of verticaladjustment of the locking bar, and said bar is firmly held until againelevated. In making the lips 5 of a depth corresponding to the diameterof the grooves 3, the looking bar is firmly held to retain the strandsof wire 13 within the grooves 3.

In order that woven wire can be sup ported by the post, the plate 1 isprovided with a plurality of rearwardly extending hooks 14rupon whichthe woven wire can be hung, and in order that one post can be bracedrelatively to another or to the ground, the top of the post has anopening 15 and the rib 2 an opening 16, these openings accommodatingstiffening rods or wires. In some instances a barbed wire can be carriedthrough the opening 16 when it is desired to place such a wire at thetop of a fence.

When it is necessary to use a gatepost, the post can be made of a largercross sectional area to sustain the weight of a gate.

The post can be made of light and durable metal, concrete and metal orany other material.

What I claim is 1. In fence posts for wire fences, a post body providedon its front face with wire-receiving grooves, laterally-projectingtongues carried by the grooved face of said post, upwardly-projectinglips carried by said tongues and disposed in front of said grooves, anda retaining bar pivotally-connected to the front face of the post at apoint below the lowermost tongue, said bar having slots to admit thetongues and lips when the bar is swung toward the post, the

pivotal connection between the bar and post being such as to allow thebar to drop behind the lips and rest on the tongues after said lips andtongues have passed through the slots in the bar.

2. The combination with the post, laterally-extending lugs carriedthereby, and

lips carried by the lugs and projecting above the same, of a retainingbar extending longitudinally of the post and pivotallyconnected at itslower end to said post, said retaining bar having slots spaced toreceive the lugs on the post, the pivotal-connection between the postand bar being such Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

